Skyfall: Movie Review

James Bond's espionage exploits have entertained audiences worldwide for 50 years now. Skyfall, the franchise's 23rd installment, presents the uber-confident MI-6 operative a little differently than in films past.

Daniel Craig dons the tux as 007 for a third time in Skyfall, with Dame Judi Dench returning as M and Oscar winner Javier Bardem as the new Bond villain, Silva. Rated PG-13 for good reasons (explained below), this new Bond flick is not appropriate for children. Caution is advised.

THE MOVIE IN A MINUTE

A betrayal leads Bond to question his loyalty to Britian's spy agency, MI-6. But when a deadly threat from M's past comes back to wreak havoc, Bond joins the hunt to track him down. Silva, a haunting villain unlike any other MI-6 has encountered, fights back, determined to complete his righteous mission. To eliminate this constant threat, Bond faces his own troubling past.

THE GOOD AND BAD IN SKYFALL

Skyfall is the most personal Bond has ever gotten. Daniel Craig portrays an insightful vulnerable side to the legendary British spy. It's his story, Silva and M's, (plus the superb acting) that captivates you as their drama unfolds. Bond is still a ladies' man. As is tradition, Skyfall has its share of Bond girls (two prominent ones in this film). However, in Skyfall, M plays a bigger role than she has in the past, which is great. The film's chase sequences and fight scenes are impressive and the villain, portrayed by Javier Bardem, is perfectly evil.

Every good Bond movie has a great bad guy. It's Silva's evil that compels you to cheer for Bond to save the day. Bardem as Silva is memorable to say the least. His disturbing character's entrance into Bond's world is arresting. Unlike most Bond movies, Silva's back-story gets a lot of airtime, giving audiences the full picture of why he does what he does. As his past is slowly uncovered, moviegoers see it matched against the troubled life Bond lived through. It's a great character study in that we all face incredible pain, but it's how we react that determines our character. We all sin. Resurrection from that pain is what we need.

Skyfall is officially rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences throughout, some sexuality, language and smoking. One particular scene between Bond and Silva is worth mentioning. To show his power over Bond, Silva makes sexualized remarks toward him. To which, 007 laughs off with his own sexual innuendo. This scene explicitly shows Silva's depravity, but some may find this exchange offensive.

IN THE END

Skyfall is the complete package. It's a true popcorn movie, offering viewers exciting on-screen action and a compelling story told through the unfolding drama of three key characters. However, be cautioned. The potential offensive content in Skyfall could be too much for some moviegoers.